They keep getting quoted in the mainstream press, the Australian Family Association that is. So I thinks to myself, I know plenty of families but I’ve never met anyone from the AFA. Erm…

Five minutes on the web reveals that they were founded by the National Civic Council. Wikipedia states: “The Association was founded by B.A. Santamaria, a prominent Melbourne Catholic activist of Italian descent”. Nothing controversial about any of this.

A quick scan of their home page today reveals that they are primarily concerned with abortions, gay marriages, cloning, graphic films and porn. It’s unfortunate, in my opinion, because there is some good stuff on there about families and family-rearing. I especially liked this piece: Single Low income men can’t marry. It’s a short read so do yourself a favour. (There are too many idle men in this country and mostly it’s not their fault).

My point is this. The group claims to represent families but is founded from a religious and ideological background. Most Australian families, in my experience, are secular, or “religious-lite”. Gay marriages, stem-cell cloning, abortions, and Internet porn are just not burning issues for most families. I haven’t met any fathers – or mothers – complaining about the latest smutty foreign film.

Every time I see a group quoted in a newspaper article I ask myself. Have I heard of these guys? Do I know anyone who is a member? What is their background? Who supports them? And what is their agenda based in? It’s a pity our newspapers don’t do this for us.

The AFA do some good work, but they don’t resemble any families I know.